My name is Shea Meyer, 26 yo AZ native. I met Piscolli back at BPS a couple years ago where I learned about the association. I have recently joined and started reading the forums as fishing season for me is in full swing starting in March. Waterfowl and big game occupy months August - January.

I have been fishing since I was big enough to cast rod. I have spend most of my time on the valley lakes and rivers. My primary fishing water is Roosevelt Lake. I fish crappie 75% of the time, with the remainder going to walleye and largemouth by accident.

I'm in a camoflage-wrapped aluminum bass tracker with a minn kota bow mount. My 2 favorite fishing partners are my girlfriend and my black lab. I'm never afraid to tell you what's working for me. I'm constantly trying new rigs, colors and tactics. Have to love these AZ crappies. I have caught several fish in the 2.5 lb range but I'm still waiting on that 3 pounder for the wall.

Looking forward to attending the next meeting. From what I read, you all seem to be a great people. See you out there!

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"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." John Bernard Books

Like everyone else, I enjoy fishing. Not really particular what species as long as its sporting and I have a great time. I'm a native Arizonan and have been fishing all my life. I remember going to San Carlos and Roosevelt back in the 60's. I currently live in Mesa and still like fishing San Carlos and Roosevelt for bass and crappie. I also like the high country for trout and on the west coast for offshore tuna, wahoo, yellowtail and marlin. I have a small personal watercraft that has had it's share of fish in it. I like to practice catch and release a lot. I can only eat a plate full of fish at one timeand don't want to be greedy. I haven't been crappie fishing in a while and started searching the internet and found this website. Nice surprise to find a Forum with members willing to share some information. I'm looking forward to hopefully catching some crappie this spring Your club meeting sound interesting and a chance to socialize some. Thanks guys. Tight Lines to all. <://///><

Hello to all. Name is Robert 28 lived here all my life in this wonderful state. I started fishing about 4 years ago. I got an old 15ft Starcraft. I just started crappie fishing about 2 years ago. This guy from club came in and and I saw sticker on back of his window az crappie. I started talking to fella and told him I can't catch of of those dang crappie to save my life. He asked me what I was using how I was using it and boy was I all wrong. He gave me a few pointers and the next month my my buddy and I went to Alamo( favorite lake ) and caught so many it was unreal. So now I am hooked I mean I really love to fish but those crappie just taste so Good. But anyway just to say hello and you guys have built a real nice website. Can't wait for these little cold fronts to pass. It's on!!!!

This guy from club came in and and I saw sticker on back of his window az crappie. I started talking to fella and told him I can't catch of of those dang crappie to save my life. He asked me what I was using how I was using it and boy was I all wrong. He gave me a few pointers and the next month my my buddy and I went to Alamo( favorite lake ) and caught so many it was unreal.

I wonder who it was? Bill at Bass Pro Shop?

I think you took all the crappie out of Alamo. Not hearing much for reports out there.

All I can remember is that he was an older gentleman and he drove a either dark blue or black 4dr new Chevy.

I wish I could say I caught all crappie from Alamo. I would be crappie king in my book. We found last year late march early April is best time to go. Last year we were catching crappie in January just a few but this year not 1 yet.

Hello to all. Name is Robert 28 lived here all my life in this wonderful state. I started fishing about 4 years ago. I got an old 15ft Starcraft. I just started crappie fishing about 2 years ago. This guy from club came in and and I saw sticker on back of his window az crappie. I started talking to fella and told him I can't catch of of those dang crappie to save my life. He asked me what I was using how I was using it and boy was I all wrong. He gave me a few pointers and the next month my my buddy and I went to Alamo( favorite lake ) and caught so many it was unreal. So now I am hooked I mean I really love to fish but those crappie just taste so Good. But anyway just to say hello and you guys have built a real nice website. Can't wait for these little cold fronts to pass. It's on!!!!

Welcome to the board! I was like you when I started fishing for crappie about 7 years ago (Pre AZCA) and went to Bartlett a hand full of times and never had a bite. I started to talk to a few of the crappie guys on The Zone and FINALLY got into a crappie bite and loved it. I pretty much quit bass fishing and stuck to nothing but crappie. Boat has been trouble for the last year and I haven't been able to go fishing in over a year. Last time I went crappie fishing was almost a year and a half ago!

:sign0144:Arrived in Arizona back in July of 86' coming from Pismo Beach, Ca. wow was it hot here. I have adjusted and will be buried here cause I love this place. I'm 66 and semi retired, my wife is the big bread winner and about 9 years younger...that's how I planned it so I could get in some fishing time before she wants to stop working and she keeps bringing up how close it's getting!!!YIKES I never fished until my arrival here and my neighbor got me "hooked" so I joined a few clubs and fished a lot of tourneys and woke up one day and said " Doog, you can't fish good enough to make money, stop it" so I'm happy now with my 14' aluminum and 25hp. I still load up 6-7 rods and get out on the water then tell my self "dummy' habits are hard to break. That's why I want to fish for crappie and need to learn a bunch. I like the whole idea of slow trolling and a couple of rigs and a lot less stuff.If anyone out there is off on Mondays,Tuesdays,Wednesdays and wants another boater please let me know.. Doog

Name's Joel. Born and raised in Tucson. Just moved up to Chandler with the family in October '12. I have been a Crappie hunter since I was about 3 or 4.

My Grandparents, mother, and two aunts moved out here from Tennessee in '62. My Grandpa is a retired miner, and got two weeks off every year he was working here. He spent the first week by himself at Roosevelt, then the grand kids would come up and camp for a week over spring break. These are some of the best memories of my childhood.

This was back in the very early 80s through about 92...every year. We camped on the shore near Grapevine, with the boat pulled snug up against a rubber mat with two pieces of tire to keep the bow from scraping too much. The road in was dirt and steep. The "Spring Creek Store run" was the highlight of the week as it usually only happened once or maybe twice during our stay. We got the exact same space every time we came for about 7 years in a row. We saw the same people each year, and I played with the same kids.

The Crappie fishing varied from "pretty dang good" to down right tiring. My Grandpa ran two shifts per day. One AM and one PM after lunch. We never had anything bigger than a 16' Bass Tracker (which seemed gigantic to me), and we had 10-12 people there at any given time, so a schedule was necessary. With sometimes 6 of us in the boat...and water approaching the gunnels, we had many 50 fish days, and a couple of 200 fish weeks. We fished minnows under bobbers almost exclusively. A Zebco 404 and later a Zebco 1020...small, red and white plastic bobber...smallest minnow you could get out of the wire-reinforced styrofoam minnow bucket. When the fish were in the brush, my Grandpa would occasionally get out the "fly pole" (crappie pole) and let us dip minnows in the little holes in the brush. We'd come back with a basket full of Crappie...greeted with a fried bologna sandwich and a cold RC or grape soda (Shasta). There were a few times when we kids would opt not to fish because we were tired of catching so many. We would get that knowing smile from our Grandpa as he said, "Well,....okay..." ...his way of saying, "You're an idiot..."

Leaving at dark and cold....motoring up to Windy Hill or "Sally Mae" with two homemade biscuits and sausage stuffed in my sweatshirt pockets...the hood of which is cinched at my chin to protect my ears from the morning wind...that feeling when the motor slows and quites, and finally shuts off...the two big waves of your own boat's wake catch up to you and push you just a bit closer to your cove...and the smell of the two-stroke exhaust...that is still the stuff of magic and butterflies in my stomach.

I'm grown now...almost 36 years old with two kids of my own. I don't get to fish as often as I'd like, but the magic remains. I still see it in the faces of my son and daughter as they wrestle in a trout or small catfish. I see it in the honest excitement in their eyes when I tell them that we're going fishing. I realize now why my Grandpa put up with all the trouble of taking a bunch of kids and their moms...and sometimes dads... out in a little boat...having to rig everyone...cast some of our lines...untangle all of our lines...get the fish off...rebait some of us...watch the depth finder...mind the wind...mind the rocks...mind the rods...mind the hooks...take us to shore because we forgot to pee...

It's worth it...even just to catch a little glimpse of that magic.

That...and he had already been fishing and camping for a week by himself

I don't know that I have a favorite lake. Rosey has most of my memories...and Silverbell. I like Apache as well, and the San Carlos Lake of days long passed.

I fish from a canoe these days. I have an ugly boat, but I'm selling her as I have no room to store her, and no vehicle with which to pull her.

Sir, when you wrote that story I bet you did not expect to make the hair stand up on your readers arms and give chicken skin (what my daughter used to call goose bumps) but believe you me it did exactly that to me. Welcome aboard I look forward to meeting another great story teller not just a fisherman telling tall tales as we all do time from time.

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Piscolli

Sir, when you wrote that story I bet you did not expect to make the hair stand up on your readers arms and give chicken skin (what my daughter used to call goose bumps) but believe you me it did exactly that to me. Welcome aboard I look forward to meeting another great story teller not just a fisherman telling tall tales as we all do time from time.

+1000! Great story Yukon! You should write for an outdoor mag, or last least blog on our site. I feel think I have to meet you now and get to know you better. I hope you consider joining the AZCA as your thoughts and memories of OUR beloved sport are extremely refreshing.

Join us at Spring Crappie-Fest 2013 and you will meet countless folks that have stories just like yours.